TO:  Mathematics Education Committee
RE:  Meeting of 17 April 1996
 
Members present:  Johnny Hill, Bob Kansky, Kristen Brennen, Joe Kennedy, Dave
Kullman, Bill Rouse, Jerry Stonewater, Laura Urbanski
 
1.  Christofferson Prizes for Elementary Education
 
The Committee approved a request from Johnny Hill that three Christofferson
prizes for elementary education majors be awarded this year.
 
2.  Size of the Christofferson Account
 
There is question whether the money remaining in the Christofferson account
includes principal or is just earnings.  If the amount quoted is just
earnings, the Committee might entertain additional ways to use that money.
Hill will look into the matter.
 
3.  Proposed New Statistics Course(s)
 
The Committee identified several audiences that should be considered when
requesting new or redesigned statistics courses that would serve teachers.
 
  a) Undergraduate elementary school majors with a mathematics concentration
  b) Students completing the MTH 2 thematic sequence
  c) Practicing elementary school teachers
  d) Undergraduate secondary school mathematics teachers
  e) Practicing secondary school teachers of mathematics
 
It was felt that a 400/500 course based upon the ASA materials for a college
course might be created to serve audiences (a) - (c).  The same course might
also serve (d); if not, the course might be "adjusted" to serve (d) by such
devices as a supplementary 1-hour "lab" that would address the mathematical
underpinnings of the course taught for (a)-(c).
 
Audience (e) might be served by modifying STA 609 in the direction of the ASA
materials and by changing the title of STA 609 by replacing "Secondary
Teachers" by "Mathematics Teachers." A suggested modification of the STA 609
listing for such a revised course is to replace the prerequisite of
certification to teach mathematics by a fundamental mathematics requirement
(e.g., a first course in calculus).
 
The Committee directed Dave Kullman to put its requests for course
design/modification before the Statistics Committee.  It was further suggested
that Amy Fisher and Dave Groggel serve on a task force to deal with the issue;
Bob Kansky could represent the Mathematics Education Committee on such a task
force.  The Committee urged that work begin as soon as possible.
 
4.  Next Meeting of the Mathematics Education Committee
 
The next meeting will be in Fall 1996.  The times, meeting place, and chair
are to be negotiated.